1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and in particular to vacuum cleaners having a removable dirt collection filter bag removably carried within a housing portion thereof.
2. Background Art
In one conventional form of vacuum cleaner, a dirt collecting filter bag is removably mounted within a canister portion of the vacuum cleaner. The canister conventionally includes a base portion and a hood portion movably associated with the base portion to provide access to the dirt-collecting space in which the filter bag is mounted.
One such vacuum cleaner construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,932 of Charles J. Pauler et al., which patent is owned by the assignee hereof. In the Pauler et al. vacuum cleaner construction, means are provided for connecting a plurality of bags successively in operative association with the air moving means, permitting facilitated association and disassociation for subsequent disposal when the bags are filled with dirt.
It is further conventional to provide the successive dirt collecting bags from a separate source and install them in the dirt collecting space by opening the canister as by raising the hood portion thereof to expose the dirt-collecting space for removal of the dirt-laden bag and replacement with a new filter bag.
A problem arises in such vacuum cleaner structures, however, in that, at times, the user may remove the dirt-collecting bag and fail to install a new bag before closing the housing. Operation of the vacuum cleaner under such conditions permits the dirt to be discharged in the dirt-collecting space without any filtering of the dirt from the suction air, thereby undesirably delivering the dirt to the suction fan means and discharging it back into the space above the floor surface being cleaned.